Cens, Chézine, Erdre and Loire for a great discovery of Nantes

The walk starts from the car parks of the law and economics faculties. Please note, this option is best used at weekends or during school holidays (the car parks are full during lecture times). As the walk is circular, you can start from any point along the route. There are plenty of car parks along the route. For those coming to Nantes by train, you can also start from the station. You’ll then need to walk about 400 m to join the route at the château.

(S/E) From the front of the University of Nantes, head towards the roundabout at the bottom of Chemin de la Censive du Tertre. Cross it and head down towards the path running alongside the River Cens. Turn right and take the path/cycle lane. The path crosses a small bridge and passes behind the swimming pool/ice rink (you will see the water slide on your right). The path climbs back up towards the tram line, which runs past the entrance to the ice rink.

(1) Cross the tracks and the road at the traffic lights and take the path that continues along the left-hand side of the Nantes Campsite. Continue along the Cens, which will be on your left. After about a hundred metres, the path crosses a footbridge and takes you to the other bank. Continue along this bank. Pass two footbridges on your right. As you continue, you will see a children’s playground on your left. After this, turn right and cross the footbridge. Immediately after this, take the path on the left and follow the yellow PR®® signpost^.

(2) At a three-way junction, leave the^PR®® on your right as it heads up towards the Pont du Cens district and continue along the Cens. The path leads onto Boulevard Robert Schuman. You will see the Auberge du Cens in front of you (an easily recognisable building with its white and red colours). Cross at the traffic lights, to the right of the inn, towards Avenue Félix Vincent. Continue until you reach a small roundabout. Take the right-hand pavement.

(3) Just after the roundabout, take the path leading off to the right, marked by a sign for “Vallée du Cens”. After crossing the footbridge over the river, take the path on the left. Stay on the path and pass the Passerelle des Écureuils on your left. Cross at the next footbridge, the Passerelle de la Perche. The path becomes tarmac and climbs slightly; after taking a right-hand bend, leave the tarmac section and head back down to your right to rejoin the path. You will walk alongside a private lake on your right. After the lake, leave the footbridge on your left and the “Ma ville à pied” route on your right to continue along the main path. Continue to the next junction.

(4) The path leads onto a cycle path. Cross it and continue straight ahead towards “Orvault Bourg”. Go under the bridge and continue along the main path, ignoring the path on the left. You will pass a retention basin on your right and then go under the Nantes ring road.

(5) On the other side of the ring road, turn right and immediately take the path that climbs slightly to the left (if you prefer a wider path, particularly if you’re cycling, you can stay on the main path as you’ll rejoin it a few minutes later). After winding along the Cens, the path you are on joins the track you left a few minutes earlier. Continue along it, turning left.

(6) The path splits, with the^GR®®3heading off to the right and the^GRP®® Tour du Pays Nantais straight ahead. Continue on the^GRP®® (red and yellow markings), which crosses a footbridge under a road bridge and runs alongside a fitness trail and large wooden deckchairs where you can soak up the sunshine flooding the valley. Ignore a footbridge on your left and continue on the^GRP®. Shortly afterwards, this enters the woodland (towards “Sautron”). Continue left on the^GRP® towards “Sautron (Pedestrians)”.

(7) The^GRP®® climbs up to the right. Stay on it and climb up to a path that branches off to your left after a barrier (marked by a red and Yellow Cross on a post and a Red Cross on the barrier). The path descends via steps towards the bed of the Cens. This area may be slippery after a spell of rain and will require a certain level of technical skill for those wishing to tackle this circular route on a mountain bike. Continue along the Cens to the next footbridge on your left. Cross it towards “Sautron”. Follow the path running alongside the Cens.

(8) Take the path on your left which climbs up via a few steps. At the top of these, you’ll come to a gate. Turn immediately left once you’ve passed through it. The path climbs towards an industrial estate after you’ve passed a few houses on your right. Continue to the Moulin Brulé roundabout.

(9) At the roundabout, you will find a Lidl supermarket on your right. Cross the first road on your right and turn right towards a cross (with a Renault garage in the background). Take the path leading from the cross and running alongside the Renault garage on its left. Continue along the path. You will pass several businesses on your right and a housing estate on your left. About 100 m after passing under the high-voltage cables, turn left, following the^PR®® signposting (at an Idena building on your right). The path enters a housing estate. Continue straight ahead and cross the roundabout where there is an electricity pylon. Continue to the next roundabout, keeping the^PR®® on your right.

(10) When you reach the roundabout, take the first right and go under the ring road. Then continue down the cycle path. At the bottom of the descent, just before the bridge, cross to the left and take the road. Pass a large house (probably a former farm) on your right and continue along the track, which turns into a path. This leads onto the Route de la Sionnière. Turn left, then right at the next junction. Keep to the left-hand side of the road. Be careful: there is virtually no hard shoulder, but there is little traffic and you will only be on the road for about 100 metres.

(11) Take the first left towards “La Gournerie” and follow the road leading to the park (the park closes at 6.30 pm from November to February and at 9 pm from March to October). Outside these times, you can continue along the road and take the path located about 200 m further down on the left, just before crossing over the Chézine). The access road to the park leads to a pond. Walk alongside it (keeping the pond on your left) and continue along the tree-lined path in front of you. At the end of this, turn right and head down towards the Château de la Gournerie. Pass under its porch to continue along the path leading down to the bottom of the park.

(12) At the park exit, cross over and take the path slightly to your right. This is marked by two signs (one yellow and one white and red marked “Ville de Saint-Herblain”). The path goes through a short tunnel. At the tunnel exit, take the main path on your left. The River Chézine runs slightly below. After a few steps, continue slightly to the left (passing a small stone bridge on your right). Continue following the signpost for “Circular Walk of Chatterie 3.7 km”.

(13) The path climbs back up towards Boulevard Marcel Paul. The^PR®® is signposted in front of you and descends into a small tunnel. Please note that this is also where the Chézine stream flows. If it is raining, it is quite possible that you will not be able to cross here; in that case, cross the road just above and go over the railing. If the Chézine is not high, you can then enter the tunnel but may get your feet a little wet if you do not have waterproof shoes.

After passing through the tunnel, stay on the path that continues alongside the Chézine. A few hundred metres further on, after passing under the ring road, turn right and go under a road bridge. Stay on the main path, which climbs slightly to the left towards Boulevard du Val de Chézine. Just before you reach the cycle path, turn right and head down towards the path (do not cross the road).

(14) Ignore the footbridge on your right at the playground and continue along the path. You will pass between the Chézine on your right and a small lake on your left. At the next junction, leave the bridge on your right and continue along the main path.

(15) Cross the bridge on your right and immediately turn left. The path leads you to a small lake with a large children’s playground on the opposite bank. The path runs along the eastern side of the lake and climbs back up to the road.

(16) At the crossroads, cross the Boulevard du Massacre in front of you and take the path towards “Procé”. Stay on the path, passing the Boxing Club Nantais, tennis courts and then football pitches (with an athletics track around them) on your right. Just after the stadium, the path splits in two. Take the left-hand path, which descends closest to the Chézine (if you do take the right-hand path, the two paths rejoin a little further on). The path climbs and crosses a second one. Continue straight ahead on the PR®^®.

(17) The path leads to the Pont Jules César and the entrance to Procé Park. Go under the bridge and turn immediately left to follow the^PR®®. This then turns right and heads down towards a large villa. Walk past it on the right and head down, still following the^PR®®, towards a roundabout. Cross at the pedestrian crossing on your right and take the path opposite, which rejoins the route along the Chézine (still following the yellow^PR®® markings). A little further on, you will need to cross a road. Continue along the stream.

(18) The path climbs to the left and leaves the woodland to enter the town. From here, you enter the urban section of the walk, which lasts for about 4 km. Turn right onto Avenue Emile Boissier. At the end of this, turn right again onto Rue Marie-Anne du Boccage. At the next junction, turn left onto Rue de Gigant then immediately right onto Rue Lamoricière, following the yellow PR®® markings throughout^.

(19) The^PR®® leaves Rue Lamoricière on the left (just before the Arsilon company and a Carrefour Contact) and heads up a stone staircase. Follow it. After climbing the steps and passing building no. 15, cross the small square to your right. You will see more steps ahead of you leading uphill. Do not take these, but take the steps on your right leading downwards, then another set of steps immediately to the right. At the end of the small square, turn left onto Rue Arsène Leloup. Walk down the street to the Church of Notre-Dame de Bon Port. Continue along Rue de Mazagran, which leads down to the Quai de la Fosse, which runs alongside the Loire.

(20) Cross the road and the tram tracks to reach the banks of the Loire. From here, you’ll see many of Nantes’ landmarks. In front of you is the huge Carousel des Mondes Marins and, slightly to its left, the large hangar of the Machine de l’Île. In front of you, on the right, is the Grue Jaune, a symbol dear to the people of Nantes, and, moored on your right, the warship Le Maillé Brézé.

Continue along the quay to your left. At the Anne de Bretagne Bridge, cross to the opposite side and continue along the quay. You will then come to the Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery. On the ground, you will find the names of the slave ships that transported thousands of slaves to the colonies. To help you follow the route, look out for the green markings on the ground for the Voyage à Nantes. This is a painted line that marks a tourist and cultural route through the centre of Nantes. It will serve as a guide on several occasions. Please note, however, that along the quays it is often painted on the lower rail of the parapet. Cross the memorial by following the Green Line. After a while, it turns left and leads you across the tram tracks. Follow it to the pavement on the opposite side. Continue along the pavement and leave the Green Line, which climbs up to your left via a flight of steps. You will pass the media library and the Printing Museum on your left.

(21) After crossing Rue Maréchal De Lattre de Tassigny, at the next junction, cross Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau and turn immediately right. Cross Allée de la Bourse and enter Square Jean-Baptiste Daviais, which you will need to cross. On the other side of the square, enter Nantes’ oldest street, Rue Kervégan. Continue by following the green road markings that reappear. The green line takes you across Cours Clisson, with Cours des 50 Otages on your left and, in the distance, the Tour de Bretagne.

Continue following the green line, which then turns left into Rue Bon Secours. Turn right and stay on the pavement. A few metres further on, you’ll see Place du Bouffay on your left, marking the start of Nantes’ historic Bouffay district. It’s a great spot if you fancy a bite to eat or a drink, and it’s the heart of Nantes’ nightlife. Continue, leaving the “Feydball” – a quirky football pitch on the Esplanade Feydeau – on your right. Cross Rue de Strasbourg.

(22) After crossing Rue de Strasbourg (the street which, a little further up, is home to Nantes City Hall), head towards the reflecting pool opposite the Château des Ducs de Bretagne. You’ll find plenty of children playing in the water jets, but it also offers a great opportunity for a lovely photo with the castle’s reflection. Once you’ve passed the reflecting pool, go round the castle to the right and climb the few steps towards the Cours Saint-Pierre. Cross the square. To your left you’ll see the rear of Nantes Cathedral (Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul) and, directly in front of you, the Louis XVI column on Place Foch.

(23) Keep the cathedral on your left (a short detour of about a hundred metres will allow you to see its façade) and go round Place Foch on the right. Then take Cours Saint-André, which continues from Cours Saint-Pierre. Cross the avenue and go down the steps. Cross Quai Ceineray and walk through Square du Marquis de Saffré.

(24) At the exit of the square, at the roundabout, head straight on towards the quays. Follow the Green Route of the Nantes tour, which continues along the quays. You will stay on these quays, on the left bank of the Erdre, for about 2 km. The quays are paved in their first section. On your left, you’ll see Île de Versailles, a true haven of peace in Nantes with its gardens. It’s the ideal spot for a break in the shade, in a beautiful green setting (though it can get very busy at weekends). Take the footbridge over the Erdre if you wish to go there; otherwise, continue along the quays, which will give way from the cobblestones to a tarmac path. Stay on this path and follow the red and white markings of^{the GR®®3}. After a few bends, the tarmac path becomes a track. Continue along it, following the^GR®® markings^.

(25) About 100 m after passing a jetty opposite a rowing school, leave the quays and head into the car park opposite the Carrefour Contact. Take the steps on the left of the car park to climb up to the Pont de la Tortière. Cross the Erdre and, at the roundabout, turn right towards the Bicloo bike-share station to take the few steps leading down to the right bank. At the bottom of the steps, turn left. You will pass several footbridges or wooden jetties as you walk along the Erdre. After about 1 km, you will cross a footbridge with a slightly steeper slope. After crossing it and leaving a cycle path on your left, continue for a few metres until you reach a Navibus stop.

(26) At the Navibus stop (a public transport boat connecting several key points in the city), immediately head up the tarmac path to the left. Continue past the law faculty on your right. When you reach the roundabout, turn right and return to your vehicle (S/E).

This is a hike with no technical difficulty and requires no special equipment. A pair of trainers may suffice; however, as it is over 30 km long, you should ensure you wear a pair of shoes in which you know you’ll be comfortable for several hours. I recommend this walk on sunny days as it allows you to make the most of the shade along the route; however, certain sections, particularly in the Cens Valley, can be very muddy after heavy rain. For your information, I completed this walk in 5 hours and 18 minutes, without taking any breaks apart from those for photos or recording the route description. The walk can also be done by bike. Whilst the vast majority of the route is accessible to all cyclists, the end of the Cens Valley (after Orvault) requires a certain level of technical mountain biking ability, and I recommend that those going there for a leisurely ride avoid this section or walk it instead.

There are plenty of benches throughout the walk, as well as numerous picnic facilities. Around Orvault, the facilities in the Cens Valley are ideal for a snack break, and the amenities make it easy to rest.
Although 95% of the walk is in a green setting, the town is never far away and it’s easy to pop into it to stock up on supplies or find shelter.

Between points (1) and (2) and just after point (21), there are public toilets.

If you start to feel tired, the last 10 kilometres pass several Bicloo bike-share stations. You can then easily finish the trip by bike, and there are stations near the universities (your starting point) or at Pont de la Tortière (about 1.5 km from the finish) where you can return them.

There are plenty of places to eat, and some restaurants are even directly on the route (notably Château de la Gournerie and Parc de Procé).

Although the ride is not particularly suitable for children due to its length, the route passes through numerous playgrounds in the Cens Valley, as well as in Chézine and near the Château de Nantes.

https://www.relive.cc/view/v36AP4n9BZO

You will walk alongside four of Nantes’ streams. The Cens, which flows into the Erdre at your starting point (making it a sub-tributary of the Loire) and rises in the commune of Vigneux-de-Bretagne. The Chézine, which is a direct tributary of the Loire and rises in the commune of Saint-Etienne-de-Montluc. The Erdre, considered the most beautiful river in France by François^I, is also a tributary of the Loire, rising in Erdre-en-Anjou. Finally, the Loire, France’s longest river, flows into the sea at Saint-Nazaire, around 60 km from Nantes.

Parc de Procé and its 18th-century manor house. It was originally a private park which was acquired by the city of Nantes in the early 20th century. It is spanned by the Pont Jules César, dating from 1879, which is notable for its row of arches.

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Nantes, built between 1434 and 1891 – a period of over 400 years. In 2020, an arson attack destroyed the 17th-century organ.

The Château des Ducs de Bretagne was built in the 14th and 15th centuries. After Anne of Brittany married the King of France, the former ducal castle became a royal castle. It is open to visitors all year round and access to its inner courtyard is free. For a few years, a slide, part of the ‘Voyage à Nantes’ project, was attached to its western rampart.

The Church of Notre-Dame de Bon-Port, easily recognisable by its large dome, was built in 1852. Its dome, inspired by that of Les Invalides, rises to a height of 60 metres.

The Domaine de la Gournerie with its château.

Rue Kervégan is lined with 18th-century buildings. It is situated on a former sandbank, which means that some of the façades have since lost their verticality.